THE TOTAL number of qualified dermatologists in Thailand as of 1994 is 240 (150 men and 90 women) for a population of 60 million. Among these, 75% practice in Bangkok and the other 25% practice in the provinces. Consequently, the ratio of dermatologists to the population at large is 1 to 250 000. As many dermatologists practice in Bangkok instead of the provinces, the dermatologic services in the provinces are very limited and insufficient. Patients with chronic skin diseases still believe in coming to the city for better care.

Dermatologic training is one of the most popular subspecialties among young physicians in Thailand. There are nine medical schools in Thailand, eight run by the government and one privately run; six medical schools are in Bangkok and the other three are in the provinces. The total number of medical graduates is about 800 per year. According to government regulations, new graduates